10 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Subfamily STURNINtE, oe STARLINGS. 



The minute bastard primary and tlie great length of the second primary, 

 which is the longest in the wing, together with the absence of the nasal 

 bristles and of scutellations at the back of the tarsus, are characters which 

 diagnose the Starlings from the other subfamilies of the Passeridse. The 

 tarsus is moderately long and scutellated in front, and the bill is straight, 

 slender, and unfurnished with rictal bristles. The Starlings moult once 

 a year in autumn, the spring plumage being attained by casting the ends 

 of the feathers. The young in first plumage differ considerably from 

 their parents, being a nearly uniform brown more or less streaked on the 

 underparts ; but this plumage is lost by the first autumn moult. 



The Sturninse are an Old-World group of birds, found in eveiy part of 

 the eastern hemisphere, except in the arctic and antarctic regions and 

 on the continent of Australia. "W allace includes 134 species in this group 

 of birds. Pour only are found in Europe, of which one is a resident in 

 the British Islands and a second is a rare straggler to our shores. 



Genus STURNUS. 



Linnaeus included the genus Sturnm in the 12th edition of his ' Systema 

 Naturae,^ published in 1766 (vol. i. p. 290) . The Common StarKng, because 

 it is the Sturnus sturnus of Brigson, has indisputable claims to be considered 

 the type. 



The most striking peculiarity ia the Starlings is the metallic tint of 

 their plumage — purple, green, and bronze. This character is sufiicient in 

 conjunction with their size, to distinguish them from all other European 

 birds. The rictal bristles are obsolete, and the nostrils are bare of 

 feathers, but half-covered with a soft horny operculum. The forehead is 

 very depressed ; and the feathers on the head, throat, and breast are'elon- 

 gated something like the hackles of a Cock. 



The genus Sturnm contains about eight or nine species and subspecies 

 confined to the central and southern portions of the Palsearctic Region and 

 the extreme north of the Oriental Region. 



In their habits the Starlings are gregarious. They frequent pastures 



